Origin and meaning of Vu Lan festival
The book Dictionary of Terminology and Classics of the Three Teachings and Tam Nguyen Dictionary says that Vu Lan or Vu Lan Bon (Urabon) is the translation of the Indian proverb ullambana, which is considered a misspelling of the word avalambana, meaning island. Huyen (hanging upside down), is a worship ritual performed to save the person who is hanging upside down. Besides, there is also a theory that the word Vu Lan comes from the original word ullambana (salvation), but neither of the above theories has clear confirmation.
However, in Buddhism, the Vu Lan ceremony originates from the story of Bodhisattva Maudgalyayana's great filial piety recorded in the Buddhist scriptures about Vu Lan tub, the Buddha said to repay the kindness of his parents, who saved his mother from escape. hungry ghost life. Obeying the Buddha's teachings, on the full moon day of the 7th month, the day the monks perform the Ta Tu ceremony after three months of summer retreat, conduct alms offerings of food and drink, thanks to that merit, the venerable mother was saved. from the suffering of hell. This story is not only a legend but also a profound lesson about filial piety, reminding each child of the grace of birth, of the great upbringing of parents and of the responsibility of children. for parents.
Vu Lan season, one of the most sacred and meaningful festivals in Vietnamese Buddhist culture, has become an indispensable part of the spiritual life of Vietnamese people. The Vu Lan festival was recorded very early in Buddhist inscriptions of the Ly - Tran dynasties. The Vien Thong Tower epitaph says, "On the 14th day of the 7th month in the year of the Rooster, the 17th year of Hung Long (1309), the monk followed the order and attended the great son Vu Lan to pray for the death of Buddha Emperor Nhan Tong", "The seventh month of the year Canh Tuat, in the 18th year of Hung Long (1310), the monk issued an order to attend Great Boy Vu Lan to pray for the death of Buddha Emperor Nhan Tong, and go to the throne to preach the Avatamsaka Sutra.
Every year, on the full moon day of the seventh lunar month, people from all over come together to the pagoda, offer incense, and pray for their parents, grandparents, and deceased loved ones. In Vietnam, in folk culture, the Vu Lan festival has long been assimilated with the spirit worship ceremony. Folk believe that when offering porridge, fruits, and burning votive paper on the full moon day of the seventh lunar month, the unjust souls who have no one to worship will come to enjoy forgiveness and escape, and will then be a blessing to good people. Therefore, Trung Nguyen Tet (full moon day of the seventh lunar month) every year is also loosely called the day of forgiveness for the sins of the dead. That is the folklorization of the Vu Lan (Buddhist) holiday into an atonement ceremony for the dead of Vietnamese folk beliefs.
An opportunity to connect between generations in the family
In Vietnam, family is always the foundation of society. All moral values, lifestyles, and beliefs originate from the family. In every family, successive generations pass on values, beliefs, culture and customs from generation to generation. Vu Lan Festival is one of the special occasions for these values to be clearly expressed and strongly spread.
In the sacred atmosphere of Vu Lan festival, each family holds offerings together, remembers ancestors and does good deeds to accumulate blessings for the deceased. This not only helps the younger generation better understand their responsibilities towards their ancestors, but also creates a space for family members to bond more closely with each other.
In the context of modern society, despite many changes, the Vu Lan festival still holds an important position in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people. This is a fulcrum to help each person find balance between modern life and the core values of national culture. Vu Lan Festival is a reminder for us to return and rediscover the core values of life: love, gratitude and connection between generations in the family.
In every lit incense stick, every prayer, every act of kindness, we feel our love, connection, and responsibility towards our family and society. Besides, Vu Lan festival is an opportunity for people to practice gratitude, an important factor in building and maintaining social relationships. From a psychological perspective, gratitude also helps strengthen relationships between family members. When people know how to appreciate and be grateful for what they have, they will live happier and easily overcome difficulties and challenges in life.
For many families, Vu Lan festival is also an opportunity to perform acts of kindness and charity, helping people in difficult circumstances. These actions are also a way to educate the young generation about love, sharing, and social responsibility. These values, when taught and implemented in a warm family atmosphere, will become valuable lessons that will last throughout each person's life.
